Wednesday, March 11, 2009

PBW 2009: Pub Crawlin' in Phoenixville, March 14th, 2009

It doesn't look like I'll make it to Phoenixville's Pub Crawl on Saturday the 14th. If you'll be in the area looking for some fun people, interesting brewers, and great beer, here's a list of why I'd go if I were you.
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant
---> Iron Hill cleaned up this year at GABF in Denver. Most of the reason was probably due to my presence. But if you stop by Iron Hill on Saturday, you'll get a chance to taste any or all of the rest of the reason for their success: the beer and the brewers. They're calling it Heavy Medal (a t-shirt for this sounds like a great idea!) and the 6 beers are: Vienna Lager (Gold); Saison (Gold); Lambic de Hill (Gold); Roggenbier (Gold); Cherry Dubbel (Silver); and Cassis de Hill (Bronze). A few of the brewers will be there too.
Sly Fox Brewhouse & Eatery
---> Will be very cool to see the reverse meetup of William Reed (Standard Tap owner/former brewer) in Brian O'Reilly's house. Their collaborative beer, Standard Ale, is a 5.6% cask-conditioned ale that's back for another year of Philly Beer Week antics.
Columbia Bar & Grille
---> Charming building with Charming Brewer Bill Moore from Lancaster BC
101 Bridge
---> I know nothing about 101 Bridge except for its facade that I pass on Bridge Street. A meetup with Stoudt's is as good of a reason as any to learn more.
Molly Maguire's Irish Restaurant
---> Is there any place in the 'burbs that seems more appropriate to meet the Guinness Master (Fergal Murray from 1pm-3pm) than at Molly Maguire's? If you've got any ill conceived notions about Molly's, put them aside for an afternoon, go and check it out, then get back to me. By the way, Bill Covaleski will be there from 3pm-5pm. How about a Donnybrook/Guinness Challenge?
Pickering Creek Inn
---> I love Blue Point Toasted Lager as an easy-drinking almost session beer. When I was told that Pickering Creek had tapped it, along with an ever-improving beer list (Russian River, anyone?), they came up on my radar list. Then Jack Curtin wrote about them. Now they're featuring Weyerbacher (Chris Lampe) & Southampton (Spencer Neibuhr) during the Pub Crawl.
PJ Ryan's
---> Flying Fish Brewing's Drew Perry...maybe with some Exit 4, some Abbey Dubbel, HopFish, or remaining Grand Cru Winter Reserve would be great.
Epicurean Restaurant & Bar
---> Another Yards Throwdown? He might meet his match against Dogfish, the two breweries pouring at Epicurean, a pleasant restaurant a bit hidden along route 113 on the way south out of Phoenixville. Don't know who either brewery is sending, especially when all eyes will be on Tom Kehoe at Kite & Key. Epicurean's takeout is another bit of a hidden gem and reason to stop there on Saturday.